No leaks, drips, or thumps! (emulator install)

[Phenix_Rider]

Installed Race Tech Gold Valve Emulators as the first step in my suspension upgrades. Ran into some problems that I expected, and some that I didn't.

Getting the plastics off, wheel off, fender off is no prolem. Didn't have a socket long enough to reach into the bottom of the fork to the damper rod bolt, so I made one.

Loosened the top triple clamp bolts, broke the cap loose, then went down to the damper rod bolt. First one came loose no problem using the air impact. Went so fast the bolt fell on the floor and oil ran out. Found some metal shavings at the top of the spacer and spring. The fork cap was cut on the spacer, but luckily the threads weren't buggered.

I was nervous about drilling holes in the damper rods, but that went smoothly. Stock has four 1/8" compression holes- had to drill that to 6 5/16" holes per the instructions. No brazing. Turned the fork up on a broom handle to tighten the damper rod bolt. Held well enough for 22 ft-lbs. No impact to put things together! Poured in the fork oil, pumped, leveled, measured- easy. Tried to thread in the preload adjustment cap, but the damn thing is too small!! It's been too long, now I can't even return the damn thing. Good thing I didn't cut anything yet... Cutting the preload spacer was another nervous moment, but everything fits right. Just meassured the GVE and cut that off the stock spacer. Got the guts inside again. Stock cap didn't want to go back on. Had to smear it with vaseline to help it go back on. Easy to put back on the bike.

Second fork was trouble from the start. I hit the damper rod bolt with the impact to break it loose, then checked to make sure it was loose with a ratchet. Started dribbling oil- good so far. Loosend the cap, loosened the other clamp bolts, pulled it out, pulled the guts and drained the oil. Went to take the damper bolt out, and the damn rod spun. Turned it up on the broom, and it still spun. Put all my weight on it, and the damper rod kept spinning. Put the guts back in and hit it with the impact- still spun. Wrapped a ratchet strap around the caliper mounts and the fork cap. Tightened the strap to compress the fork and get more spring pressure. Still spinning. Damn, I got nothing else.

Need the Kawi "fork cylinder holder tool." And of course, it's memorial day, so none of the fucking dealers are open. Except one- 35 miles away. Fine, I called them up and they SAID they have the tool. Told me to bring the disassembled fork- OK. Get there with the fork, and all they have is a damn dirt bike tool! Say "Oh, we normally use spring pressure to hold it" Dumbass. I tried that shit already, and you told me to bring a DISASSEMBLED fork. So I'm stuck.

Have to call every other dealer in 50 miles the next day. Find one that has the tool. Go there after work- took an hour to get there so I arrive about 5:30. And they actually have a bag of holder tools. NONE of them are correct. One is close, but it doesn't hold well enough to get the bolt loose. Finally just keep whacking it with their 3/8" snapon impact with the fork fully assembled. Spun loose little, by little, by little. Two of their service guys stayed till nearly 6:30 working on it, and they closed at 6. Then I drove 30 minutes home and ate dinner.

Finally get back to it, drilled the damper, cut the spacer, installed the emulator, rebuilt the fork. After that, everything is easy. Tighten the lower clamp bolts, tighten the cap, tighten the top clamps, mount the fender, wheel, brakes, inner plastic dash bits, windshield. Finally finished up about 10pm.

Didn't get to ride it until today. No leaks, drips, thumps or rattles. The change isn't as drastic as I've heard. Certainly not "orgasmic" "revalation" "whole new bike" type change. It feels... odd... The easy rolling type bumps haven't changed. The sharper edged ones aren't as jarring. Better in fast bumpy sweepers- less chatter. I'm just happy to have it in one piece again. After hearing so many horror stories of fork upgrades gone bad, it was a relief just to have the bike back together and rolling smooth.

Next step is to replace the stock shock with the Ohlins I picked up.